Two North Korean table tennis stars have been placed under ‘ideological scrutiny’ and could face disciplinary action after posing for an Olympic podium selfie with rivals from the South.
Despite winning silver medals at the Paris Olympics, Kim Kum-yong and Ri Jong-sik have landed themselves in trouble back at home after celebrating their success in a snap with South Korean athletes Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin.
The South Korean mixed doubles players and the North Korean pairing could be seen in the popular image beaming on the podium after receiving their bronze and silver medals last month.
One of the images was posted to the Games’ official Instagram site, where it racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, while People magazine named it as one of the Olympics’ top 12 moments of sportsmanship in Paris.
But this week, local North Korean media has claimed that Kim and Ri have now been placed under ‘ideological scrutiny’ following their actions.
North Korea table tennis silver medalists Ri Jong-sik and Kim Kum-yong, pose with South Korea’s bronze medalists Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin during the medal ceremony after the Table Tennis – Mixed Doubles Gold Medal match on day four of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
The photos have caused a stir in North Korea as the athletes were seen smiling with their rivals
The Daily NK, a North Korean news site, quoted a source based in Pyongyang as saying that athletes and members of the North Korean Olympic Committee had been undergoing a month-long ‘ideological scrubbing’ since returning home on August 15.
This is reportedly a standard procedure for sportsmen and women who have had recent exposure to the life outside the walls of the communist state.
The media outlet said that North Korea views staying in a non-communist country as a form of ‘exposure to contamination.’
Daily NK reported that the country’s athletes had been given instructions not to interact with competitors from outside countries, including the South, and were warned that ‘fraternisers’ could face punishment.
The table tennis stars were allegedly criticised in a report submitted to officials for ‘grinning’ while they posed on the podium alongside their rivals from a country that North Korea has described as its ‘number one enemy’.
Kim Kum-yong took the selfie with a smile, while Ri Jong-sik was seen grinning as he looked at the other athletes after stepping down from the podium.
But although this interaction being one of the most rare and celebrated moments on the Olympic stage, it is now under harsh scrutiny within the isolated nation.
North Korean athletes returning from international competitions undergo a three-tier ideological review, reports the Korea Times.
The first stage is carried out by the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the second by the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports, and finally by the athletic team itself.
Kim Kum-yong took the selfie with a smile, while Ri Jong-sik was seen grinning as they showed off their medals on the Olympic podium
One of the images was posted to the Games’ official Instagram site, where it racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, while People magazine named it as one of the Olympics’ top 12 moments of sportsmanship in Paris
During the team’s internal review, athletes are expected to criticise the inappropriate behavior of others or publicly reflect on their own actions.
The evaluation meticulously examines the athletes’ behavior during the Games, and any deviation from the regime’s values or instructions could lead to disciplinary measures.
A high-ranking source indicated to the South Korean newspaper that athletes who interact with foreign competitors, such as by taking selfies, must express strong remorse during self-criticism sessions to avoid political or administrative punishment.
Human Rights Watch said reports ‘demonstrate the North Korean government’s efforts to control behaviour beyond its borders.
‘The International Olympic Committee… has a responsibility to protect athletes from all forms of harassment and abuse, as set out in the Olympic Charter,’ it said in a statement.
‘North Korean athletes should not fear retribution for actions at the Games, not least when their actions embody the values of respect and friendship, on which the Olympic movement is built.’
It isn’t clear what, if any, sanctions the table tennis stars could face following the selfie.
